Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Wednesday 25 September 2024
Niagara Falls woman pleads guilty to fentanyl charge involving overdose deathRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Ranique Davis, 31, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl, was sentenced to time served and three years’ probation by Senior U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson, who handled the case, stated that on April 22, 2021, the Lockport Police and Fire Departments responded to a 911 call at a South Street residence and found Davis’s mother and stepfather, both unconscious and unresponsive. and suffering from fentanyl overdoses. Davis’s stepfather was revived with Narcan and survived. First responders attempted lifesaving treatment on Davis’s mother, but she could not be revived and was pronounced deceased. The cause of death was determined to be acute fentanyl intoxication. Earlier in the evening, Davis communicated with her stepfather by cell phone and agreed to provide blue Percocet pills. After exchanging messages, Davis and two co-conspirators drove to the South Street residence and sold Davis’s stepfather four fake Percocet pills from the conspirators, which were shared with Davis’s mother. The fake Percocet pills contained fentanyl. A short time later, Davis’s stepfather and mother ingested the pills and both lost consciousness.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarentino, and the Lockport Police department, under the direction of Chief Steven Abbott.
New Britain Resident Sentenced to Prison for Possessing Child Sex Abuse VideosRead the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS A. ROSADO, 31, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May and June 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) received two CyberTipline reports from Kik Messenger that two separate Kik Messenger accounts had been used to upload video files depicting the sexual abuse of children. The investigation connected both Kik Messenger usernames to Rosado and determined that, between April and June 2022, he used them to upload and distribute 104 video files depicting the sexual abuse of children, including prepubescent children.
Rosado, who resided in Manchester at the time of the offense, was arrested on October 6, 2022. On February 5, 2024, he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.
Rosado, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on December 4.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Connecticut State Police, the Manchester Police Department, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing over $450,000 in Veterans Disability FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man pleaded guilty today to stealing over $450,000 in disability benefits issued by the United States Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) intended for a 20-year veteran of the United States Marine Corps who was suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
Joseph Smith, 71, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government benefits and one count of conspiracy to steal government benefits before U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 15, 2025. Smith was charged in June 2024.
Shortly after the victim’s ALS diagnosis in August 2015, the VBA approved the victim’s application for disability benefits and awarded him approximately $8,318 in monthly payments. The VBA began issuing payments in September 2015 via monthly checks mailed to the victim’s former residence in New Bedford, where he had resided with Smith’s relative.
Between approximately 2015 and 2020, while the victim was hospitalized for ALS, Smith and others received monthly VBA disability checks intended for the victim and deposited those checks into bank accounts they controlled. Smith first deposited the disability checks into a bank account in his own name and then began depositing the checks into a bank account that he and others fraudulently opened in the name of victim. Shortly after depositing the disability checks, Smith withdrew the funds in cash and used the money for personal expenses.
In total, between in or around 2015 and 2020, Smith and others stole more than $450,000 in VBA disability benefits intended for the victim.
“This defendant’s craven actions represent a gross betrayal of our nation’s veterans and the sacrifices they make to keep our country free and safe. Stealing from a Marine Corps veteran who bravely served for 20 years and was literally fighting for his life as he battled a devastating illness is about as low as it gets and it is a crime,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Every American owes a debt of gratitude to the men and women who have worn the uniform. Stealing from them is simply immoral.”
“Today's guilty plea underscores our commitment to investigating and holding accountable those involved in fraudulent activities, especially those who target our veterans,” said Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's Boston Division. “This investigation showcases the results that postal inspectors strive to achieve in collaboration with our law enforcement partners. We remain dedicated to our mission of identifying and prosecuting those who exploit others through fraudulent schemes.”
“Today’s guilty plea sends the message that the VA Office of Inspector General will work to hold accountable those individuals who would steal benefits intended for deserving veterans with disabilities,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in pursuing justice in this case.”
“Misusing someone’s identity and Social Security number to steal federal disability benefits is a crime and these particular offenses are deplorable,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Acting Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “My office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayers’ funds from those seeking to defraud federal programs. I thank our partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their work in this case.”
The charge of theft of government benefits provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to steal government benefits provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, USPIS INC Larco-Ward, VA-OIG SAC Algieri and SSA-OIG Acting INC Anderson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin A. Saltzman of the Securities Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Nashville Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Armed Robbery and Firearms ConvictionsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE - Terrell Stevenson, 35, of Nashville was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison today, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Henry C. Leventis.
Within 40 minutes on Halloween night 2018, Stevenson robbed a Dollar General Store and a Mapco gas station in Nashville, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol and pointing it at the head of the clerk working at the Dollar General Store. Stevenson and his accomplice were arrested by police officers after fleeing from a traffic stop. Stevenson was charged by a federal grand jury in January of 2020 with two counts of Hobbs Act Robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was convicted on all charges following a jury trial in September 2023.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Stephens and Kathryn Risinger prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
# # # # #
Muskegon County Man Charged in Bomb HoaxRead the Press Release
Threat disrupted Caribbean cruise
GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Joshua Darrell Lowe II, 19, of Bailey, Michigan, was indicted on criminal charges related to an alleged bomb hoax.
“We take every threat of mass violence seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Mark Totten. “Hoaxes can endanger lives, incur needless costs, and divert public safety resources needed to address real threats. My office has zero tolerance for wrongdoers who intentionally convey false and misleading information that prompts a law enforcement response.”
In January 2024, Carnival Cruise Lines received an e-mail warning, “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your sunrise cruise ship.” The cruise ship, Sunrise, had just departed Miami, Florida with a full complement of passengers and crew, and was sailing toward Jamaica as part of a Caribbean cruise. As a result of the message, the ship’s personnel individually searched over a thousand staterooms. Carnival alerted the U.S. Coast Guard and Jamaican authorities, whose Marine Police escorted the ship to port. According to court documents, Lowe is charged with making a false bomb threat.
“Bomb threats are not a laughing matter and are extremely irresponsible,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “When individuals make false hoax threats, they divert critical law enforcement resources and spread unnecessary fear. The FBI takes all threats to life seriously and will ensure that those who resort to this kind of intimidation face the appropriate consequences.”
If convicted, Lowe faces a penalty of up to five years in prison and will be required to pay restitution for expenses associated with the hoax.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler is prosecuting it.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
# # #
Montgomery County Man Pleads Guilty to Election Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Philip C. Pulley, 62, of Huntington Valley, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before Chief United States District Court Judge Mitchell S. Goldberg on charges of falsely registering to vote, double voting, and election fraud. Pulley was charged with those violations by information last month.
In 2018, while registered to vote in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, the defendant also registered to vote in Broward County, Florida.
In 2020, while already registered to vote in Montgomery County and Broward County, he registered to vote in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, using a false home address in Philadelphia and social security number.
In the 2022 general election, which included the election for United States Senator, Pulley voted in both Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
“Ensuring that our elections are free and fair is critical to maintaining the public’s trust in the results,” said U.S. Attorney Romero. “My office and the FBI will continue to enforce the federal laws prohibiting election crimes like Mr. Pulley’s. We will investigate, prosecute, and hold these violators accountable.”
“Free and fair elections are the foundation of American democracy, and voter fraud undermines our democratic system,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Protecting the right to participate in this process remains a top priority for the FBI and our partners.”
Pulley is scheduled to be sentenced on January 9, 2025. On each count, he faces a maximum possible sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $10,000 to $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy E. Potts and Mark B. Dubnoff, with support from James Price, Senior Deputy Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney.
Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Larceny, and Failure to AppearRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, Larceny, and Failure to Appear. The sentencing took place on September 16, 2024.
Hunter Brave, 21, was sentenced to one year and ten months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, $1,000 restitution, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brave was indicted for possession of an unregistered firearm in September of 2023. He was indicted for failure to appear, and robbery and assault with a dangerous weapon, by a federal grand jury in January of 2024. On May 14, 2024, a Superseding Information charging Larceny was filed. Brave pleaded guilty in all three cases on May 22, 2024.
On August 6, 2023, Brave was in a vehicle parked outside the Sunrise Apartments in Mission, South Dakota, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Brave was in possession of a “short shotgun” also known as a sawed-off shotgun, and fired a round off prompting calls to 911 by community members. Law enforcement responded and found Brave with the shotgun that was not registered to him in the National Firearms and Transfer Record. Following his indictment, Brave was released on bond conditions.
On November 28, 2023, Brave and a co-defendant stole a vehicle in Mission, driving in a reckless manner, causing damage to the vehicle. On November 30, 2023, Brave failed to appear for a bond revocation hearing in federal court in Pierre as required by his bond conditions.
These cases were investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Brave was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Minnesota man pleads guilty in conspiracy to create and share animal torture videosRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Minnesota man pled guilty yesterday to conspiracy to create and distribute animal crushing videos.
According to court documents, from at least June 11, 2021, to July 8, 2022, Jeffrey Radtke, 61, of Bloomington, Minnesota, received over 20 electronic payments ranging from $1 to $300 from his coconspirators, to fund, among other things, payments to videographers outside of the United States, including Indonesia, to create videos depicting the torture and deaths of juvenile macaque monkeys.
Radtke and others had direct communications with Coconspirator 11 (CC11) in Indonesia. Radtke and others routinely communicated with CC11 for the creation of animal crush videos and would direct the videographers how to torture the animals. Between June 7, 2021, and Aug. 5, 2022, Radtke sent over 40 payments ranging from $25 to $295 to CC11 to create new animal crush videos to send to the coconspirators.
On April 24, 2023, law enforcement seized Radtke’s electronic devices. Radtke’s computer contained over 2,600 videos and 2,700 images depicting animal crushing.
Radtke is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 13, 2025, and faces up to five years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Derek W. Gordon, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Yusi is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-88.
Mexican National Gets 6 Years in Prison for Leading $25 Million Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Miguel Martinez, 39, a Mexican national residing in Bakersfield, was sentenced today to six years in prison for leading a $25 million fraud against the IRS, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
“Martinez sought to steal millions in taxpayer funds meant to provide services for us all,” said U.S. Attorney Talbert. “Today’s sentence is fitting for someone who embodies such reckless disregard for the law. This office will continue our efforts to bring to justice those who would organize and lead such schemes.”
“Miguel Martinez’s involvement in this complex tax scheme ultimately earned him six years in prison. IRS-CI special agents worked extremely hard day in and day out to dismantle this group of bad actors who preyed on innocent, hardworking taxpayers, and the United States government,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Mosley. “Today’s sentencing is a true reflection of the collaborative commitment between IRS-CI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect the people in our communities, uphold a fair tax system, and bring justice to light.”
According to court records, from November 2019 through June 2023, Martinez led a scheme to file hundreds of fraudulent tax returns that claimed millions of dollars in refunds. Martinez used stolen identities to create fake businesses and report phony wage and withholding information for the businesses to the IRS. He then submitted hundreds of individual income tax returns to the IRS in the names of still other individuals whose identities he had also stolen, claiming that those individuals worked for the fake businesses and were owed tax refunds based on the phony wage and withholding information that had been reported.
Martinez used several people to help him carry out the scheme. This included Martinez’s co‑defendant, Victor Cruz, who was a tax return preparer in Bakersfield and is alleged to have helped to file some of the fraudulent tax returns. It also included a former IRS tax examiner who gave Martinez advice on how to avoid the IRS’ fraud detection systems. In exchange, Martinez paid them thousands of dollars and took them out to lavish dinners.
As a result of the scheme, the IRS paid out $2.3 million in tax refunds. When federal agents arrested Martinez and searched his three homes, he was found with $750,000 in fraudulent tax refund checks, identification cards for more than 200 individuals, and multiple firearms that he could not lawfully possess due to his illegal status in the United States.
Importantly, Martinez lied to government agents when he was first interviewed in the beginning of the investigation. Martinez initially said that he had no knowledge of, or involvement in, tax preparation for others, and that he just sold gold and ran a party rental business. He also said that he did not know others who were involved in the scheme and that he did not have any relevant text messages or other evidence. Those statements, however, were later contradicted by his conviction in this case.
This case is the product of an investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Henry Carbajal III are prosecuting the case.
Victor Cruz is awaiting trial. The charges against him are only allegations; he is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Media Advisory - News ConferenceRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – United States Attorney Michael Easley, will hold a press conference today to provide an update on an investigation into drug trafficking in Eastern North Carolina. The update will include an announcement of the sentence of Michael Kenneth Cox, a former Wayne County Sheriff’s deputy who pled guilty to drug trafficking conspiracy and mail and wire fraud.
WHERE: U.S. Attorney’s Office – 150 Fayetteville Street, Suite 2100
WHEN: Wednesday, September 25 at 3:00 p.m.
Media: please arrive by 2:30 for set up.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for over $500,000 in Retail TheftRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – Michael O’Brien, Jr., was sentenced to 60 months in prison for crimes related to fraud, announced United States Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and United States Secret Service (USSS) Special Agent in Charge Shawn M. Bradstreet. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Beth Labson Freeman, United States District Judge.
On Apr. 25, 2024, O’Brien, 32, of Worcester, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349, and five counts of wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343. A grand jury indicted O’Brien on Aug. 3, 2023.
According to court documents, from May 22, 2018 to about Oct. 23, 2018, O’Brien conspired with others to defraud the Target Corporation (Target). O’Brien, who served as the leader of the conspiracy, purchased gift cards from Target, stole the gift card codes, and then sold the codes online. After O’Brien sold the codes, he and others returned the gift cards for a full refund.
O’Brien’s scheme was far reaching, affecting Target stores in California and 35 other states. O’Brien’s scheme involved thousands of gift cards resulting in the theft of at least $508,000. Judge Freeman ordered O’Brien to repay Target $508,000 in restitution. In his plea agreement, O’Brien admitted that the scheme’s intended loss was $1,077,100. In addition to the prison term, Judge Freeman ordered O’Brien to serve three years of supervised release to begin after his prison term is completed.
Assistant United States Attorneys Neal C. Hong and E. Wistar Wilson prosecuted the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by USSS and Homeland Security Investigations. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and USSS appreciate the assistance of Target’s Field Investigations Team.
Maryland Woman Sentenced for Conspiring to Destroy the Baltimore Region Power GridRead the Press Release
Sarah Beth Clendaniel, 36, of Catonsville, Maryland, was sentenced today to 18 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland and a concurrent sentence of 15 years in prison and three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
“Those who seek to attack our country’s critical infrastructure will face the full force of the U.S. Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Sarah Beth Clendaniel sought to ‘completely destroy’ the city of Baltimore by targeting five power substations as a means of furthering her violent white supremacist ideology. She will now spend the next 18 years in federal prison. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively counter, disrupt, and prosecute those who seek to launch these kinds of hate-fueled attacks that target our critical infrastructure, endanger entire cities, and threaten our national security.”
“The defendant plotted to disable the power grid around the entire Baltimore region and cause harm to thousands of people in pursuit of a racially motivated violent extremist agenda,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Her plan failed thanks to the great work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners. Today’s sentencing should serve as a warning to others that you will be held accountable if you attempt to carry out violent attacks on our infrastructure or threaten the safety of those in our communities.”
“Such cowardice, designed to disrupt and endanger the lives of Maryland’s citizens, will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “My office remains committed to protecting the security and well-being of the community by prosecuting such conduct to the full extent of the law.”
According to her plea agreement and other court documents, in 2018, Clendaniel became acquainted with Brandon C. Russell, a Florida resident, who is currently charged with conspiracy to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland and is awaiting trial. Clendaniel and Russell espouse a white supremacist ideology and advocate a concept known as “accelerationism.” To “accelerate” or to support “accelerationism” is based on a white supremacist belief that the current system is irreparable and without an apparent political solution, and therefore violent action is necessary to precipitate societal and government collapse.
According to court documents, from at least December 2022 through February 2023, Clendaniel conspired with Russell to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. The intended monetary loss associated with the planned attacks would have exceeded $75 million.
As set forth in her plea agreement, Clendaniel admitted that she communicated and planned over encrypted communication applications (ECA) to carry out attacks against energy facilities. Russell and Clendaniel communicated their plans to commit an attack on the Baltimore region power grid to a confidential human source (CHS-1).
Their plans began to coalesce on Jan. 12, 2023, when CHS-1 and Russell discussed the planned substation attack in Maryland with a goal of working with Clendaniel to “maximize impact” and “to coordinate to get multiple [substations] at the same time.” Later that same day, Clendaniel, using the moniker “Nythra88,” sent a message to CHS-1 on ECA confirming her support of the attack.
In the ensuing conversation, which continued through Jan. 14, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she lived near Baltimore. She also stated that she was a felon, and had previously, but unsuccessfully, attempted to obtain a rifle. She asked CHS-1 to purchase a rifle for her, stating that she wanted to “accomplish something worthwhile” and that she wanted the rifle “within the next couple of weeks” to “accomplish as much as possible before June, at the latest.” On Jan. 18, 2023, on ECA, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she had identified a few potential locations to target in her attack. CHS-1 stated that CHS-1 would have to be the “driver” and Clendaniel would have to be the “shooter” in the attack. Clendaniel confirmed that she was “determined to do this” and stated she would have done something earlier on her own if she had not lost her rifle “a few months ago.” The conversation continued with CHS-1 and Clendaniel discussing the specifics of the desired rifle and agreeing that Clendaniel would send CHS-1 a “wish list,” which she did the following day.
At various times from Jan. 21, 2023, through Jan. 29, 2023, CHS-1 exchanged encrypted messages, separately with Clendaniel and with Russell, in which they discussed in detail the rifle and specific firearms accessories that Clendaniel wanted and potential targets for their attack.
On Jan. 29, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that the five substations she planned to target included “Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall.” Clendaniel described how there was a “ring” around Baltimore and if they hit a number of them all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city.” She added that they needed to “destroy those cores, not just leak the oil . . . ” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” Further, she stated that: “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.” When CHS-1 asked if it would accomplish a “cascading failure,” Clendaniel replied, “[y]es . . . probably” and that the attack targets are all “major ones.” Clendaniel also said that the most difficult target that they would have to do together has “fire walls on three sides.”
During that conversation, Clendaniel sent CHS-1 five links to the “Open Infrastructure Map” which showed the locations of five specific Baltimore, Gas and Electric (BGE) electrical substations in Maryland. BGE is an energy company that utilizes substations, like the five targeted sites, to produce, convert, transform, regulate and distribute energy. Three of the five substations were located near the towns of Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall. The remaining two substations were in the vicinity of Baltimore City. Each location is a BGE substation with significant infrastructure.
On or about Jan. 31, 2023, Russell discussed with CHS-1 the attack of the targeted substations on ECA, including how to “make sure it’s done right,” how “it has been studied,” and how to make it “cascading” so as to maximize damage. Russell and Clendaniel believed that attacking these five electrical substations in the greater Baltimore area would serve accelerationism.
On Feb. 3, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Clendaniel’s residence in Catonsville, Maryland. During the search, law enforcement agents recovered from Clendaniel’s bedroom various firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits Clendaniel from possessing these items because she is a convicted felon, including convictions in Cecil County, Maryland, for robbery in 2006 and robbery and attempted robbery in 2016.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Michael Aubin for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case with valuable assistance from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is a partner in the Justice Department’s United Against Hate community outreach program. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to directly connect federal, state, and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. Attorney General Garland announced the nationwide launch of the initiative and its expansion to all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
Maryland Woman Sentenced to 18 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Destroy the Baltimore Region Power GridRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On September 25, 2024, Senior United States District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Sarah Beth Clendaniel, a Catonsville, Maryland resident, to 18 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for conspiring to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1366(a), and a concurrent sentence of 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and 3 years of supervised release, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).
The sentence was announced by Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland and Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
“Such cowardice, designed to disrupt and endanger the lives of Maryland’s citizens, will not be tolerated,” said Erek L. Barron, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland. “My Office remains committed to protecting the security and well-being of the community by prosecuting such conduct to the full extent of the law.”
“Those who seek to attack our country’s critical infrastructure will face the full force of the United States Department of Justice,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Sarah Beth Clendaniel sought to ‘completely destroy’ the city of Baltimore by targeting five power substations as a means of furthering her violent white supremacist ideology. She will now spend the next 18 years in federal prison. The Justice Department will continue to aggressively counter, disrupt, and prosecute those who seek to launch these kinds of hate-fueled attacks that target our critical infrastructure, endanger entire cities, and threaten our national security.”
“The defendant plotted to disable the power grid around the entire Baltimore region and cause harm to thousands of people in pursuit of a racially motivated violent extremist agenda,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “Her plan failed thanks to the great work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners. Today’s sentencing should serve as a warning to others that you will be held accountable if you attempt to carry out violent attacks on our infrastructure or threaten the safety of those in our communities.”
“Sarah Beth Clendaniel engaged in a hate-filled scheme to destroy the infrastructure Marylanders rely on every day,” said Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. “Through rigorous investigation and law enforcement partnerships, her radical plan was halted. Today’s sentence underscores the FBI’s commitment to protecting our national security and holding accountable those conspiring to commit violence.”
According to her plea agreement and other court documents, in 2018, Clendaniel became acquainted with Brandon C. Russell, a Florida resident, who is currently charged with conspiracy to damage or destroy electrical facilities in Maryland and is awaiting trial. Clendaniel and Russell espouse a white supremacist ideology and advocate a concept known as “accelerationism.” To “accelerate” or to support “accelerationism” is based on a white supremacist belief that the current system is irreparable and without an apparent political solution, and therefore violent action is necessary to precipitate societal and government collapse.
According to court documents, from at least December 2022 through February 2023, Clendaniel conspired with Russell to damage energy facilities involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity and to cause a significant interruption and impairment of the Baltimore regional power grid. The intended monetary loss associated with the planned attacks would have exceeded $75 million.
As set forth in her plea agreement, Clendaniel admitted that she communicated and planned over encrypted communication applications (“ECA”) to carry out attacks against energy facilities. Russell and Clendaniel communicated their plans to commit an attack on the Baltimore region power grid to a confidential human source (“CHS-1”).
Their plans began to coalesce on January 12, 2023, when CHS-1 and Russell discussed the planned substation attack in Maryland with a goal of working with Clendaniel to “maximize impact” and “to coordinate to get multiple [substations] at the same time.” Later that same day, Clendaniel, using the moniker “Nythra88,” sent a message to CHS-1 on ECA confirming her support of the attack.
In the ensuing conversation, which continued through January 14, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she lived near Baltimore. She also stated that she was a felon, and had previously, but unsuccessfully, attempted to obtain a rifle. She asked CHS-1 to purchase a rifle for her, stating that she wanted to “accomplish something worthwhile” and that she wanted the rifle “within the next couple of weeks” to “accomplish as much as possible before June, at the latest.” On January 18, 2023, on ECA, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that she had identified a few potential locations to target in her attack. CHS-1 stated that CHS-1 would have to be the “driver” and Clendaniel would have to be the “shooter” in the attack. Clendaniel confirmed that she was “determined to do this” and stated she would have done something earlier on her own if she had not lost her rifle “a few months ago.” The conversation continued with CHS-1 and Clendaniel discussing the specifics of the desired rifle and agreeing that Clendaniel would send CHS-1 a “wish list,” which she did the following day.
At various times from January 21, 2023 through January 29, 2023, CHS-1 exchanged encrypted messages, separately with Clendaniel and with Russell, in which they discussed in detail the rifle and specific firearms accessories that Clendaniel wanted and potential targets for their attack.
On January 29, 2023, Clendaniel told CHS-1 that the five substations she planned to target included “Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall.” Clendaniel described how there was a “ring” around Baltimore and if they hit a number of them all in the same day, they “would completely destroy this whole city.” She added that they needed to “destroy those cores, not just leak the oil . . . ” and that a “good four or five shots through the center of them . . . should make that happen.” Further, she stated that: “[i]t would probably permanently completely lay this city to waste if we could do that successfully.” When CHS-1 asked if it would accomplish a “cascading failure,” Clendaniel replied, “[y]es . . . probably” and that the attack targets are all “major ones.” Clendaniel also said that the most difficult target that they would have to do together has “fire walls on three sides.”
During that conversation, Clendaniel sent CHS-1 five links to the “Open Infrastructure Map” which showed the locations of five specific Baltimore, Gas and Electric (“BGE”) electrical substations in Maryland. BGE is an energy company that utilizes substations, like the five targeted sites, to produce, convert, transform, regulate and distribute energy. Three of the five substations were located near the towns of Norrisville, Reisterstown, and Perry Hall. The remaining two substations were in the vicinity of Baltimore City. Each location is a BGE substation with significant infrastructure.
On or about January 31, 2023, Russell discussed with CHS-1 the attack of the targeted substations on ECA, including how to “make sure it’s done right,” how “it has been studied,” and how to make it “cascading” so as to maximize damage. Russell and Clendaniel believed that attacking these five electrical substations in the greater Baltimore area would serve accelerationism.
On February 3, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Clendaniel’s residence in Catonsville, Maryland. During the search, law enforcement agents recovered from Clendaniel’s bedroom various firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Federal law prohibits Clendaniel from possessing these items because she is a convicted felon, including convictions in Cecil County, Maryland for Robbery in 2006 and Robbery and Attempted Robbery in 2016.
U.S. Attorney Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Michael Aubin who are prosecuting the federal case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is a partner in the U.S. Department of Justice’s United Against Hate community outreach program. The United Against Hate initiative seeks to directly connect federal, state and local law enforcement with traditionally marginalized communities in order to build trust and encourage the reporting of hate crimes and hate incidents. Department of Justice Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced the nationwide launch of the initiative and its expansion to all 94 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
Madison Man Sentenced for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Madison, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 16, 2024.
Christopher James Smith, age 32, was sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Smith must register as a sex offender upon his release from federal prison.
Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on June 26, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between January 18, 2021, and August 19, 2022, when Smith knowingly received files containing child pornography, including victims as young as one and two-years old.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Clapper and Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
Smith was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Macon Mother and Son Sentenced for Roles in Decade-Long Business TheftRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two members of the same family who illegally wrote millions in checks to themselves from their employer’s operating account were sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution for their crimes.
Billy Lee Wells, Jr., 47, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay the following jointly and severally with co-defendant Eva Wells: $2,583,003.80 restitution to Phil J. Sheridan Company d/b/a Mid-Georgia Sales and $150,000 restitution due to Donegal Mutual Insurance Company. In addition, he was ordered individually to pay $586,112 to the IRS in restitution and $3,404,772.22 in forfeiture. Eva Rebecca Wells, 75, was sentenced to serve 46 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. She was ordered to pay the above-mentioned restitution amounts with co-defendant Billy Wells and was also ordered individually to pay $586,112 to the IRS and a total of $3,990,884.22 in forfeiture. Both defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud a financial institution before U.S. District Judge C. Ashley Royal on Jan. 23. Billy Lee Wells also pleaded guilty to making and subscribing a false return. There is no parole in the federal system.
"The defendants used their position as trusted employees to steal from a small business for more than a decade, a crime that can carry long-term repercussions for all those affected," said U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary. "Working with our law enforcement partners, our office will continue to do all we can to both hold fraudsters accountable and protect hard-working and honest citizens."
“This case serves as a warning to individuals who commit fraud upon others and the U.S. government that their criminal acts will come with consequences,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Acting Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “IRS Criminal Investigation special agents and our law enforcement partners will continue investigating and bringing to justice those who participate in illicit schemes to enrich themselves.”
“These fraud scams, although not violent, are not victimless and can be devastating to local business and ruin livelihoods,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “The FBI is dedicated to working with our partners to hold anyone accountable who would steal from hard working and honest individuals, rather than put in the work themselves.”
According to court documents in the Wells case, Eva Wells was the Office Manager for Mid-Georgia Sales and was responsible for its finances, including issuing weekly payroll and making other payments on behalf of the business. Her son, Billy Lee Wells, Jr., was also employed at Mid-Georgia Sales, working in IT and sales. In Dec. 2008, Eva Wells began writing unauthorized checks to herself and her son from the company’s general operating fund, as opposed to the account used for payroll. When the theft was discovered, a full accounting was conducted. Between Dec. 31, 2008, and May 10, 2019, Eva Wells wrote a total of $3,404,772.22 in unauthorized checks to Billy Lee Wells, Jr. which were either cashed or deposited in his bank account. In addition to the checks made to Billy Lee Wells, Jr., Eva Wells also wrote unauthorized checks to herself which she cashed or deposited into her bank account.
The Wells case was investigated by the FBI, the IRS and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard prosecuted both cases for the Government.
Leader of Eau Claire Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 10 YearsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Hector A. Jimenez-Sosa, 40, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 10 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Jimenez-Sosa pleaded guilty to this charge on July 8, 2024.
The government’s investigation revealed that Jimenez-Sosa was the leader of a methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine trafficking organization in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He received large quantities of controlled substances through the mail from his sources in California. Between August and October 2023, law enforcement officers purchased methamphetamine and fentanyl pills from Jimenez-Sosa and his associates on multiple occasions using a confidential informant. The drug sales took place at two workshops operated by Jimenez-Sosa. The final drug sale occurred on October 31, 2023, when Jimenez-Sosa sold approximately one pound of methamphetamine to the informant.
On December 8, 2023, Jimenez-Sosa was arrested, and search warrants were executed at his residence and workshops. Officers located cocaine, marijuana, ammunition, and drug trafficking supplies.
During this investigation and while running his drug trafficking organization, Jimenez-Sosa was out on bond and later convicted and placed on probation for a state felony domestic abuse conviction.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found that the total quantity of narcotics Jimenez-Sosa’s organization distributed in the Eau Claire area was significant. He noted that Jimenez-Sosa had an extensive arrest history that included convictions for drug trafficking, violence, and illegal weapons possession. Judge Conley said that Jimenez-Sosa’s drug trafficking was a dramatic escalation in conduct and “caused some real damage” to communities in the Eau Claire area.
Another individual, Mario R. Aviles, was charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Aviles pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine on July 16, 2024, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Conley on October 17, 2024.
The charges against Jimenez-Sosa and Aviles were the result of an investigation conducted by the West Central Drug Task Force, Eau Claire Police Department, Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and United States Postal Inspection Service. The Eau Claire County District Attorney’s Office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
Kanawha County Man Sentenced to Prison for Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Reginald Clay Jackson, 43, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to eight years and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 3, 2023, law enforcement officers arrested Jackson after conducting a traffic stop of a scooter he was operating in St. Albans. The scooter was reported stolen and Jackson could not produce a valid license, insurance, or registration. Jackson was taken to the South Charleston Detachment of the West Virginia State Police and processed. The following day, officers found a plastic bag under a bench in the booking area. The bag contained seven individually wrapped baggies that each contained approximately 1 ounce of fentanyl. Security video footage showed Jackson removing the bag from his clothing and throwing it under the bench during his processing.
Jackson has a long criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug offenses, domestic battery and strangulation.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-33.
###
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Fitzpatrick, 33, of Pratt, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 3, 2024, Fitzpatrick sold approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in the Kanawha City area of Charleston. Fitzpatrick admitted to the transaction and further admitted to distributing a total of approximately 90 pounds of a substance that contained methamphetamine to the confidential informant from approximately December 2022 to in or about April 2024.
Fitzpatrick is scheduled to be sentenced on January 14, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the U.S. Route 119 Drug Task Force, which consists of members of the Mingo County Sheriff's Office, the Logan County Sheriff's Office, the Boone County Sheriff's Office, and the West Virginia State Police.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Samuel D. Marsh is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-112.
###
KC Man Sentenced for Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a firearm after he pointed his pistol at an ex-girlfriend’s head and threatened to kill her, then crashed into several vehicles while attempting to flee from law enforcement officers.
Jonathan Good, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips to 10 years in federal prison without parole, the statutory maximum penalty for this offense.
On March 21, 2023, Good was found guilty at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Evidence introduced during the trial indicated that Good was in possession of a Taurus 9mm handgun on July 29, 2020.
Kansas City police officers were called to a residence on July 29, 2020. A woman at the residence reported that Good had arrived on her front porch, drunk and belligerent, at about 11:24 p.m., waving a gun around and yelling. She told him to leave, after which she heard a single gunshot from the front porch. She followed Good to his car, where he pointed his pistol at her head and threatened to kill her. Good got into his silver Ford Mustang and left as officers were arriving.
A Kansas City police officer was parked in front of the victim’s residence at approximately 11:47 p.m. Good returned to the scene in his Ford Mustang, then shifted into reverse and began driving away. When Good reached the intersection of 72nd Steet and Walrond, he shifted his car into drive and drove south on Walrond. Officers pursued Good, who was driving 60 miles per hour through a residential neighborhood. Good failed to stop at one stop sign before losing control of his vehicle. Good’s vehicle hit the sidewalk then spun and collided with one vehicle parked on Walrond before slamming into another two vehicles parked in a residential driveway, where it was disabled. Good was arrested and transported to a local hospital to check for injuries. While at the hospital, when staff lifted him off the gurney onto the hospital bed, they found three live rounds of 9mm ammunition.
At approximately 1 a.m. on July 30, 2020, officers searched Good’s residence and found the loaded Taurus 9mm pistol hidden inside an old charcoal grill with the legs missing, which was sitting on the grass in the front yard. Forensic investigators indicated a DNA sample recovered from the trigger guard of the pistol implicated Good as a major contributor. The KCPD expert testified the genetic information from the trigger was 7 octillion times more likely to be observed if Jonathan Good and four unknown individuals are the contributors than if five individuals are the contributors.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition. Good has four prior felony convictions for domestic assault, two prior felony convictions for unlawful use of a weapon, and prior felony convictions for armed criminal action, violating an order of protection, and stealing/theft of livestock.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stefan C. Hughes and Brandon E. Gibson. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation LeGend
Operation LeGend was a federal partnership with local law enforcement to address the increase in homicides and violent crime in Kansas City, Mo., in 2020. The operation honored the memory of four-year-old LeGend Taliferro, one of the youngest fatalities during a record-breaking year of homicides and shootings. Additional federal agents were assigned to the operation from the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Justice Department’s Office on Violence Against Women Announces $86.16M in Grants to Support American Indian and Native Alaskan Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, Stalking, and Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced yesterday more than $86.16 million in grants administered by the Tribal Affairs Division within the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to American Indian and Alaska Native communities to support survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking.
The grants provided through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) will fund services for victims of these crimes while providing support for Tribal governments, including law enforcement, prosecutors, and Tribal courts, to enhance safety and support Tribal sovereignty. The Tribal Affairs Division within OVW is responsible for the administration of Tribal specific grant programs and initiatives, management of Tribal specific training and technical assistance, and coordination with other federal departments and Justice Department offices on Tribal issues. Principal Deputy Director Allison Randall of OVW made the announcement at the annual Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program Institute, a convening of Tribal officials, victim advocates, and other Tribal leaders, as well as OVW-funded training and technical assistance advisors, who work to support Tribes in developing and improving programs to support survivors of sexual assault.
“Tribal communities, and particularly American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls, have experienced disproportionately high levels of violence for too long,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This $86 million dollar investment represents the Justice Department’s commitment to working in partnership with Tribal nations to address and prevent gender-based violence and provide safety and justice for survivors.”
Included in these awards is more than $7.58 million that OVW is awarding under its new Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program: Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track (START) Program. The program is for Tribal governments that have not previously or recently participated in OVW’s Grants to Indian Tribal Governments Program and focuses on capacity building early in the project period. Awardees will receive additional training, technical assistance, and support to implement their programs. Additionally, OVW awarded $45.17 million under the established Tribal Governments Program to support Tribal governments in responding to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking in Tribal communities.
OVW also launched a new grant program this year through its Healing and Response Teams Special Initiative, which was created in response to recommendations made by the Not Invisible Act Commission. OVW awarded $2 million under this initiative to support the creation, training, and sustainability of Healing and Response Teams using a Tribal-based model of care to respond to Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) cases related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking.
OVW is awarding grants totaling more than $3.57 million to Tribes under its Special Tribal Criminal Grant (STCJ) Program and $1.5 million under its Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative. The programs support Tribes that are preparing to exercise or are already exercising STCJ to ensure that victims find safety and justice and that non-Indians who commit covered crimes within their communities, including domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking, are held accountable.
OVW is also awarding grants totaling $3.75 million under its Violence Against Women Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Initiative to support the collaboration between Tribes and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in their investigation and prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, sex trafficking, and stalking cases in Indian country.
OVW is also awarding grants totaling more than $11.11 million under its Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program to support Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Tribal nonprofit organizations in operating sexual assault services programs in Indian country and Alaska Native villages. Additionally, OVW awarded funding totaling more than $8.28 million under its Grants to Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Program to support the development and operation of nonprofit, nongovernmental Tribal domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions.
“We are committed to addressing the disproportionately high rates of violent crime faced by American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls and ensuring everyone can access both safety and justice,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “This funding supports Tribal governments and Tribal organizations’ efforts to provide legal services, housing assistance, medical care, and counseling to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other forms of gender-based violence.”
OVW is also awarding grants totaling $3.2 million for Tribal training and technical assistance (TA) programs. The TA programs support grantees through in-person and online educational opportunities, peer-to-peer networks, on-site technical assistance, and tailored support to help grantees further develop expertise and targeted strategies to implement their programs successfully.
“The strength of VAWA is enhancing a coordinated community response,” said OVW Director Rosie Hidalgo. “These grant programs provide critical support for Tribes to address gender-based violence by fostering essential partnerships among victim services organizations, law enforcement, prosecutors, community-based organizations, and other key stakeholders who play a crucial role in supporting survivors and providing pathways for them to access justice, safety, and healing.”
OVW provides leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to reduce violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act and subsequent legislation. Created in 1995, OVW has awarded more than $11 billion in funding to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In addition to overseeing federal grant programs, OVW supports policy development and undertakes special initiatives in response to community-identified needs. Learn more at www.justice.gov/ovw.
View the Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction: Targeted Support for Alaska Native Tribes Special Initiative (STCJ AK) Program Award.
View the Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Initiative Awards.
View the Tribal Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions Invitation to Apply Awards.
View the Indian Tribal Governments: Strengthening Tribal Advocacy Responses Track (START) Awards.
View the Healing and Response Teams Special Initiative Awards.
View the Indian Tribal Governments Program Awards.
View the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program Awards.
Justice Department Secures Language Access Agreement with Alameda County Sheriff’s Office in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a resolution agreement with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) in California resolving an inquiry into whether ACSO is in compliance with its nondiscrimination obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI).
Under the terms of the agreement, ACSO has agreed to take a number of steps to improve language access for individuals with limited English proficiency (LEP) in its jurisdiction. Title VI prohibits entities that receive federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color and national origin. Differential treatment based on language spoken, including exclusion from or denial of the benefits of programs and services to people with LEP, may constitute national origin discrimination in violation of Title VI.
“The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is committed to ensuring that our nation’s law enforcement agencies can serve and protect everyone in their communities, regardless of whether they may have limited English proficiency,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Through this agreement, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office has demonstrated its commitment to and has taken major steps toward improving services to the communities it serves.”
The department’s inquiry into ACSO began after receiving information raising concerns that individuals with LEP may not receive adequate language services during encounters with ACSO personnel.
Through this agreement, ACSO will establish a formal, office-wide language access directive, designate a member of its personnel as the LEP Coordinator for ACSO, provide staff trainings on language assistance, improve quality controls to require accurate and quality-assessed language assistance services and undergo a period of departmental monitoring.
This agreement is part of the department’s Law Enforcement Language Access Initiative (LELAI), a nationwide effort to assist law enforcement agencies in overcoming language barriers to better serve and protect communities and keep officers safe. Led by the Civil Rights Division, the initiative provides technical assistance resources and tools that can help state and local law enforcement provide meaningful language access to individuals with LEP; affirmatively engages law enforcement agencies that want to review, update and/or strengthen their language access polices, plans and training; and strengthens the connection between law enforcement agencies, community stakeholders and populations with LEP.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available at www.justice.gov/crt and information about limited English proficiency and Title VI is available at www.lep.gov. More information on LELAI is available at www.lep.gov/law-enforcement. Members of the public may report possible civil rights violations at civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Justice Department Awards Nearly $30M to Combat the Rise of Hate and Bias CrimesRead the Press Release
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer announced today nearly $30 million in grant funding through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) that will be awarded to law enforcement agencies, states, community-based organizations, national civil rights organizations, and other stakeholders to fight the rise in hate and bias crimes and incidents. These awards will help communities improve the investigation and prosecution of hate and bias crimes, solve hate crime cold cases, serve victims of these offenses, and support related research.
“These grants are vital in helping to ensure law enforcement and community members get the support they need as they continue to strive to keep all communities safe,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “Everyone in this country deserves not only to feel safe but to be safe in their communities, and we’re excited about the new grant funding investments made.”
The funding was announced at the inaugural hate crimes grantee conference organized by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). The grants are part of the Justice Department’s wide-ranging efforts to improve community safety, serve victims of crime, support America’s youth, advance science, and promote equal justice. OJP is the largest grantmaking component of the Department and houses its criminal and juvenile justice-related science and statistical units.
“Freedom from intolerance and from the fear of violence is foundational to community safety and fundamental to the concept of equal justice,” said OJP Acting Assistant Attorney General Brent J. Cohen. “I’m very pleased that OJP is making these important resources available to our community partners and proud of the work we’re engaged in, together, to end hate and bias crimes and incidents in our country.”
The funding announced today includes:
- $12 million in grants under BJA’s Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Program to help local law enforcement agencies and prosecutors’ offices investigate and prosecute hate and bias crimes, as well as collaborate with community partners on outreach and education to targeted communities.
- More than $7.6 million in awards from BJA to 11 different community-based organizations and civil rights organizations for projects around the country dedicated to developing and implementing comprehensive hate crimes prevention and response strategies.
- $1 million for the Orleans Parish, Louisiana, District Attorney’s Office under BJA’s Emmett Till Cold Case Investigation and Prosecution Program to provide resources in cold case homicide cases involving civil rights violations that occurred before 1980.
- $2.7 million for RTI International and its subrecipients, the Eradicate Hate Global Summit and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, to launch BJA’s new Coordinated Hate Crimes Resource Center.
- $1.125 million for the Washington State Attorney General’s Office through the Office for Victims of Crime’s Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act State-Run Hate Crime Reporting Hotlines program.
- $2.5 million through Jabara-Heyer NO HATE Act funding for the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ research and analysis project on National Incident-Based Reporting System data and hate crime reporting patterns.
- $2.5 million in funding from the National Institute of Justice for three research projects on responding to hate crimes with specialized law enforcement units, including LGTBQI+ liaison units to respond to hate crimes against transgender individuals, and addressing the needs of survivors of hate crimes and their communities.
In addition to these new grant awards, Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Mizer announced OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Youth Hate Crimes and Identity-Based Bullying Prevention Curriculum to provide resources to address hate crimes, bias incidents and identity-based bullying among youth. The curriculum is designed for middle and high school-aged youth and the teachers, counselors and others who work with them. He also announced the Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office) is launching a new training on investigating hate crimes, which builds on the training the COPS Office released in 2022 on recognizing and reporting hate crimes.
Jury Votes to Acquit Rensselaer County OfficialsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – A jury today voted to acquit Richard W. Crist, James R. Gordon and Leslie A. Wallace on all charges following a 13-day trial.
The jury voted to acquit Crist, Gordon and Wallace of conspiring to violate the rights of Rensselaer County voters in connection with elections held in 2021.
The jury also found Gordon not guilty of witness tampering and found Wallace not guilty of making false statements.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Barnett and Steven D. Clymer prosecuted this case.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Aggravated Assault while Armed in Gresham Place ShootingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Adrian Lee, 49, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of aggravated assault while armed and other related charges for a late-afternoon shooting and assault against two victims that took place on April 18, 2023, on Gresham Place, NW, in the Columbia Heights neighborhood, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves.
The verdict was returned on September 24, 2024, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for December 13, 2024.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 3:15 p.m. on April 18, 2023, the victims were driving home after celebrating their anniversary at a DC restaurant when the defendant’s wife sideswiped their car. Lee came down to the accident scene and provided an expired insurance card. While the victim was on the phone with the insurance company, the defendant became aggravated that the process was taking too long. He directed his wife to drive away, and he ran off on foot. The victims followed behind in their car, in an attempt to get insurance or vehicle information from the defendant. The victims were driving a Tesla that day, which was equipped with exterior video cameras. Tesla cameras captured footage of the defendant running from the victims’ car. After Lee ran, the victims flagged down a police officer, and were instructed to return to the site of the accident to make a police report. In an attempt to get back to the scene of the accident, the victims turned down Gresham Place, NW – the street where the defendant lived.
Upon seeing the victims, Lee retrieved a gun from his house and ran towards them. The defendant first pointed the gun at the female victim, and then turned and shot the male victim one time in the torso.
Lee and his wife then fled to Florida. The defendant was apprehended back in DC in March of 2024 by United States Marshals.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rashmika Nedungadi and Sara Matar of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
###
Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
Jamestown man pleads guilty to his role in drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Charles Lawson a/k/a Charley Marley, 34, of Jamestown, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey E. Intravatola and Evan K. Glaberson, who are handling the case, stated that between January and March 2020, Lawson conspired with others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Lawson was a close associate of Rocco Beardsley and actively assisted Beardsley’s drug trafficking activities. Lawson used Facebook to advertise and sell Beardsley’s heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, and he received narcotics for personal use from Beardsley as compensation for his services. On January 23, 2020, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Beardsley and Lawson participated in the purchase. Beardsley was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, III, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
# # # #
Iowa Drug User Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
On September 24, 2024, Richard Quintana, 24, from Dolliver, Iowa, was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for illegal possession of a firearm. Quintana pled guilty on May 23, 2024, to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.
At the plea and sentencing hearings, evidence showed that Quintana illegally purchased and possessed firearms on five occasions between 2021 and 2022. Despite being a drug user, Quintana marked on his firearm purchasing forms that he was not. As a drug user, defendant was prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms. Three of the firearms Quintana purchased were later recovered by law enforcement as part of crimes committed by other individuals. In December 2023, law enforcement observed Quintana driving a vehicle in Fort Dodge, Iowa. As law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle Quintana was driving, he led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit through residential areas of Fort Dodge before ultimately stopping and being arrested.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Quintana was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and must serve a two-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Quintana remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, and Fort Dodge, Iowa Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23-3034. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.
# # #
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Demoreal Killebrew, 26, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 29, 2023, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a search of Killebrew and found a handcrafted weapon commonly known as a “shank” in his left shoe. The shank was a metal rod approximately five and one-half inches long, with a sharpened point on one end and a plastic cap on the other end as a handle. Killebrew admitted to possessing the shank, and further admitted that it was designed and intended to be used as a weapon.
Killebrew is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-108.
###
Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing Weapon at FCI McDowellRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Savion Garcia, 24, an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell, pleaded guilty today to possession of a weapon by an inmate at a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 19, 2023, an FCI McDowell staff member conducted a random search of Garcia’s prison cell. During the search, the staff member found two handcrafted weapons commonly known as “shanks” on Garcia’s person. One was a six-inch-long flat metal bar with a cloth wrapped around one end as a handle. The other shank was a piece of metal approximately six and three-fourth inches long, with one end sharpened to a point and a cloth wrapped around the other end as a handle. Garcia admitted to possessing the shanks, and further admitted that they were designed and intended to be used as weapons.
Garcia is scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Will Thompson made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Timothy D. Boggess is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-91.
###
Independence Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Drug Trafficking, Illegal FirearmsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today after law enforcement officers seized 22 firearms and a large quantity of a variety of illegal drugs from his residence and his two campers in Bagnell, Mo.
Jonathan P. Henik, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 19 years and two months in federal prison without parole.
On April 4, 2024, Henik pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms, two counts of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possessing THC with the intent to distribute, two counts of possessing marijuana with the intent to distribute, possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Independence police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop while Henik, whose driver’s license was revoked, was driving a Dodge Charger on Sept. 1, 2021. However, as officers attempted to contact him after he pulled to the side of the road, Henik accelerated at a high rate of speed and fled the area.
On Oct. 5, 2021, officers executed a search warrant at Henik’s residence. Investigators found 11 firearms in Henik’s bedroom, including two Taurus .45-caliber firearms, a Glock 9mm semi-automatic firearm, a Glock .40-caliber firearm, a Smith & Wesson .40-caliber firearm, a Colt .45-caliber firearm, a CZ 9mm firearm, a Diamond Back .223-caliber firearm, a Freedom Ordnance 9mm firearm, an ATI OMNI .223-caliber firearm, and a KEL-TEC 9mm firearm.
Officers also found two jars of THC wax and drug paraphernalia in the kitchen. Officers found a black duffel bag that contained a Palmetto 7.62 x 39mm firearm, several rounds of ammunition, 105 grams of marijuana, and drug paraphernalia in a closet near the front door.
In the garage, officers found six more firearms, including a Glock .40-caliber firearm, two Glock 9mm firearms, a Sig Sauer 9mm firearm, an SCCY 9mm firearm, a Ruger 9mm firearm, a 9mm extended magazine, a 7.62x39 magazine, and two 9mm magazines. Officers also found 928 grams of methamphetamine, a container of approximately 8.6 kilograms of THC edibles, numerous heat-sealed bags that contained a total of approximately 8.6 kilograms of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately 510.8 grams of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately 166 grams of marijuana, a bag that contained approximately four grams of psilocybin mushrooms, several prescription medications, approximately 40 pills of suspected MDMA (ecstasy), and a bag that contained approximately four grams of THC edibles.
On Aug. 2, 2023, Henik was arrested on a federal warrant related to the original indictment in this case following law enforcement surveillance at his Sandpiper and Catalina campers parked in Bagnell.
Officers searched the campers and found two firearms on the table in the living room of the Cataline camper, a loaded Browning Arms Company .22-caliber semi-automatic pistol with a silencer (which was not registered) and a loaded Polymer80 9mm semi-automatic firearm with no markings. In the Sandpiper camper, officers found a large bag of apparent marijuana on the table. In a black bag in the living room, they found multiple bags of apparent marijuana and a plastic bag that contained approximately 145 grams of cocaine. On a dresser in the bedroom, officers found a gun case that contained magazine and live ammunition, seven explosive devices, and approximately four grams of psilocybin mushrooms. In the dresser, officers found approximately 60 grams of methamphetamine.
The total amount of marijuana recovered was approximately 1,723 grams (3.8 pounds).
Officers also searched Henik’s Lincoln SUV and found a loaded Heckler & Koch 9mm semi-automatic pistol in the driver’s side floorboard, a loaded FMK 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a YETI cup that contained three different types of pills, $662 in cash in the center console, and a large bag of apparent marijuana in the back hatch.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Henik has prior federal felony convictions for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and use of a firearm in connection with a drug offense.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Jackson County Drug Task Force and the Mid Missouri Drug Task Force.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Highway Contractor to Pay $950,000 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. B A Rahway, New Jersey-based highway contractor will pay $950,000 to resolve allegations that it improperly represented itself as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) in order to obtain federally funded contracts, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger announced today.
The settlement resolves allegations that from October 2016 through April 2019, MV Contracting Inc. obtained several contracts funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHA) set aside for DBE companies as part of a program designed to remedy ongoing discrimination in federally assisted highway contracting markets. The United States contended that MV Contracting procured these contracts despite knowing that it did not in fact qualify as a DBE. The company submitted improper claims for payment under the contracts, which were paid using federal funds.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Eric J. Soskin, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Office of Inspector General , under the direction of Inspector General John Gay, with the investigation of the allegations against MV Contracting.
The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark C. Orlowski of the U.S. Attorney’s Health Care Fraud Unit in Newark.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
mvcontracting.settlement.pdfHammond Man Indicted for Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney Duane A. Evans announced that ERNEST X. TAYLOR, JR. (“TAYLOR”), age 39, a resident of Hammond, Louisiana, was indicted on September 20, 2024 for identity theft, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1028(a)(7) and 1028(b)(1)(D).
According to court documents, in December 2021, TAYLOR used means of identification belonging to a victim to obtain a $25,000 loan from Collins Community Credit Union.
Specifically, TAYLOR used identification in the victim’s name, without the knowledge or consent of the victim. If convicted, TAYLOR faces up to fifteen years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Financial Crimes Unit is handling the prosecution.
Grand Jury Returns IndictmentsRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Madison Man Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearm with Machine Gun Conversion Device
Jontrae M. Larsen, 22, Madison, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing a firearm as a felon and possessing a firearm with a machine gun conversion device. The indictment alleges that Larsen possessed a Glock 17 handgun with a machine gun conversion device from November 22, 2023, through on or about January 6, 2024.
If convicted of the charge that he possessed a firearm as a felon, Larson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. The machine gun charge carries a 10-year maximum penalty.
A machine gun conversion device converts a handgun from semi-automatic to fully automatic. Machine gun conversion devices are illegal, as are any firearms with the devices.
The charges against Larsen are the result of an investigation conducted by the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consisting of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers (TFOs) from local agencies including the Dane County and Clark County Sheriff’s Offices and the Fitchburg, Madison, Sun Prairie, and La Crosse Police Departments. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation and the Waunakee, Deforest, and Monona Police Departments also assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala is handling the case.
This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms.
Minnesota Man Charged with Possessing Fentanyl and Heroin for Distribution
Ernest N.R. McCurty, 42, Minneapolis, Minnesota, is charged with possessing 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl and heroin intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that McCurty possessed the mixture on or about November 7, 2023.
If convicted, McCurty faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
The charge against McCurty is the result of an investigation by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon is handling the case.
Black River Falls Man Charged with Possessing Methamphetamine for Distribution
Michael B. Kingsley, 43, Black River Falls, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. The indictment alleges that Kingsley possessed the methamphetamine on or about November 8, 2023.
If convicted, Kingsley faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
The charge against Kingsley was the result of investigation by the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office and the Fort McCoy Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the case.
Former Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced to More than Six Years for Drug Trafficking Conspiracy and Role in Procurement Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – Michael Kenneth Cox, age 49, was sentenced to 74 months followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy and a procurement mail and wire fraud conspiracy. On March 24, 2024, Cox, who was employed by the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) from 1996 until he retired as the head of the drug unit in 2018, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and marijuana. Cox also pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud with his co-defendant Christopher Worth in connection with contracts his business received from WCSO. On July 24, 2024, Worth also pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Worth is scheduled to be sentenced next month. Worth joined the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) in 1993 and most recently served as the Major of Enforcement where he was responsible for overseeing support services and the WCSO drug unit. Worth retired from this position in 2023.
The criminal activity of Cox and Worth were uncovered as part of a larger operation investigating the trafficking of methamphetamine and other drugs in Onslow, Craven and Wayne Counties that began in 2020. To date, 41 defendants, including Cox and Worth, have been convicted. Most recently, a federal jury convicted Tamarcus Ellis on three charges of trafficking methamphetamine. The operation has also netted the seizure of 36 firearms, 16 kilograms of methamphetamine, four kilograms of heroin, ¾ of a kilogram cocaine and 450 grams fentanyl – enough for more than 225,000 potentially lethal doses.
“What started as an investigation of drug trafficking in Eastern North Carolina, led us to public corruption in law enforcement. Michael Cox and his co-defendant both took the sacred oath to uphold the law and protect the public,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. “The majority of our law enforcement officers abide their promise, but these two chose a different path. Instead, they entered into a conspiracy to profit from upfitting law enforcement vehicles and Cox joined a drug trafficking conspiracy with the criminals he was supposed to investigate.”
According to court documents and other information presented in Court, while Cox was a sheriff’s deputy, he helped two drug traffickers operating in Wayne County evade charges. Cox accomplished this by, among other things, providing protection under the ruse that they were confidential informants. This allowed Cox to provide them with sensitive law enforcement information and shield them from investigations. As a result of these efforts, the Goldsboro Police Department began to view one of the drug traffickers as “untouchable” due to his relationship with Cox. In exchange, Cox used the drug traffickers to supply him with Percocet and Oxycodone that he provided to other people.
For example, in 2017, Cox observed one of his protected drug traffickers making a purchase from the target of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation. Rather than arrest the trafficker, he seized the drugs and reimbursed him $2,000 for the sale and gave him another $200 as a “Confidential Informant fee,” claiming it had been a planned, controlled purchase.
Cox’s support of the drug traffickers went beyond his purchase of Percocet and Oxycodone. He arranged a cocaine transaction between the two protected drug traffickers when one of them was low on supply. One trafficker indicated that Cox approached him about conducting a home invasion of a location that was thought to contain a large amount of drug proceeds. Just ten days later, a violent home invasion occurred there.
“Tonight, Michael Kenneth Cox will have a different view of prison bars. He will be looking out from the inside of a federal cell for the next six years. Law enforcement officers are entrusted with an incredible responsibility to serve our communities and ensure justice. Anyone who tarnishes their badge for their own profit will be held accountable,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge, Robert M. DeWitt. “The FBI will root out public corruption and defend the vast majority of hard-working officers who carry out their duties honestly and honorably.”
Even after his retirement from the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, Cox continued his efforts to protect the drug traffickers. In 2019, a confidential informant working for the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office was shot, called 911, and informed the 911 operator that he had been shot by one of Cox’s protected drug traffickers. Cox found out about the shooting and contacted investigators that same night to provide an alibi for his protected drug trafficker. Cox then assisted the drug trafficker with obtaining a defense attorney. During a subsequent federal investigation of the shooting, Cox lied about his contacts with the protected drug trafficker following the shooting. In 2021, one of the protected drug traffickers was the target of a federal wiretap investigation. After finding a GPS device on his car, he called Cox and referenced his recent trips to Cox’s home for Oxycodone deliveries. Cox immediately contacted former colleagues within the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office to ask about the tracking device and then informed the protected drug dealer that it belonged to the ATF. After learning about the federal investigation, the protected drug dealer and his conspirators took steps to thwart the investigation.
This investigation was an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launders, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief United States District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dennis Duffy and Nick Hartigan are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-260.
Former SBA Employee Convicted of Conspiracy, Bribery, and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that a federal jury has found Angela Chew (60, Leesburg) guilty of conspiracy to bribe a public official and commit wire fraud, three counts of bribery of a public official, and six counts of wire fraud. Chew faces up to 5 years in federal prison on the conspiracy count, up to 15 years in federal prison on each of the bribery counts, and up to 20 years in federal prison on each of the wire fraud counts. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 18, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, Chew conspired with three others to submit applications for COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) containing false and fraudulent information in exchange for bribe payments. The evidence showed that Chew used her position as a loan specialist for the Small Business Administration (SBA) to internally access those loan applications that she and a co-conspirator had submitted on behalf of others. Chew then took actions on the applications within the SBA’s internal processing system that moved the loans towards approval. For example, Chew submitted a loan on behalf of a co-conspirator’s business that she knew was not active or operating at the time she submitted the loan. The loan was flagged as a duplicate by the SBA’s internal system, which stopped the application from progressing toward approval and funding. Chew then entered the SBA’s loan processing system, accessed the loan application, reactivated it, and manipulated the loan’s status multiple times in order to progress the application toward approval and funding in the amount of $150,000. In exchange, Chew received thousands of dollars in bribe payments from two of her co-conspirators. The evidence showed that Chew caused the funding of at least six EIDL applications, for a total loss of over $800,000.
“This conviction underscores our commitment to holding all wrongdoers accountable, including those in positions of public trust like this former SBA employee,” said Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware. “These crimes are far from victimless, as they financially harm taxpayers and erode public trust in SBA programs. I want to extend my gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the integrity of federal relief programs and ensuring that the system works for those it was designed to help.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda Daniels and Diane Hu.
Former Professional Basketball Player Admits Pandemic Loan FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A former professional basketball player on Wednesday admitted committing $272,774 worth of fraud involving pandemic aid programs.
Lorenzo Gordon, 41, of Chesterfield, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of theft of government money.
As part of his plea agreement, Gordon admitted fraudulently applying for two loans from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and three from the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. Both programs were intended to help businesses and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gordon’s applications for the loan programs contained false information about three companies that applied for loans: Logo Fitness LLC, Elite 50 Basketball Training LLC and Elite Health and Fitness Company LLC. Gordon fraudulently received a total of $107,074 in PPP loans and $165,700 in EIDL loans and advances, his plea says.
Gordon is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025. The theft charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both prison and a fine.
The Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Klocke is prosecuting the case.
Anyone with information about pandemic fraud should call the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or report via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Former Pharmacy Chief Financial Officer and Former Pharmacy President Admit Roles in $33 Million Pharmacy Compounded Medication SchemeRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Two individuals have admitted their respective roles in a multimillion dollar compounded medication kickback scheme that they and others ran out of a pharmacy in Clifton, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Jeffrey Andrews, 73, pleaded guilty on Sept. 24, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.
Adam Brosius, 59, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court on Sept. 23, 2024, to two counts of an indictment charging him with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From 2014 through 2016, Andrews, Brosius and others used Main Avenue Pharmacy, a mail-order pharmacy with a storefront in Clifton, New Jersey, to run an illegal kickback scheme involving compounded drugs including scar creams, pain creams, migraine mediation, and vitamins. Andrews worked as the Chief Financial Officer for Main Avenue. Brosius worked as Main Avenue’s director of business development, and later as its president.
The scheme identified compounded drugs that would yield exorbitant reimbursements from health insurers, including both federal and commercial payers. Once Main Avenue identified lucrative formulas for compounds, it would create large prescription pads with those formulas on it and distribute the pads to marketers across the country with whom it had contractual relationships. The marketing companies would in turn distribute the prescription pad to telemedicine companies and doctors with whom they had a financial arrangement.
After filling prescriptions, Main Avenue submitted claims to health care benefit programs for reimbursement, including Medicare, Tricare, and commercial payers in New Jersey and elsewhere. After Main Avenue obtained reimbursement, it paid kickbacks to marketers who had generated the prescriptions. Main Avenue signed contracts with many of the marketers, which detailed the illicit kickback arrangement, which called for Main Avenue to pay each marketer money based on the volume of referrals of compounded prescriptions and the reimbursement amount that Main Avenue received. Main Avenue received approximately $33 million in reimbursements for compounded medications alone from health care benefit programs. Over $5.8 million of that amount was paid by TRICARE, a federal payer.
The count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Both counts are also punishable by a fine of $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for Brosius is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2025, and for Andrews, Feb. 18, 2025.
Charges remain pending against Chad Beene, 52, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The charges and allegations against Beene are merely accusations and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Robert Schneiderman, 81, of Langhorne, Pennsylvania, previously pleaded guilty to two counts of the Indictment.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Nelson I. Delgado in Newark; the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; the U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Patrick J. Hegarty; and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine M. Romano of the Health Care Fraud Unit and Matthew Specht of the Special Prosecutions Division.
andrews.indictment.pdfFentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 75 Months on Narcotics and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rashaad Malik McDowell, 26, of Washington D.C., was sentenced today to 75 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Washington Field Division.
McDowell pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024, to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and unlawful possession with intent to distribute fentanyl before U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Kelly. In addition to the prison term, Judge Kelly ordered McDowell to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on February 8, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at McDowell’s residence on Harvard Street NW. Agents recovered a loaded Glock firearm with 17 rounds in its extended magazine in McDowell’s bedroom. They also seized distribution quantities of marijuana and cocaine. McDowell admitted that he possessed the narcotics seized from his bedroom and had intended to distribute them. He also admitted that the seized firearm was used in furtherance of his drug distribution.
McDowell was not present during the time of the February 2023 search, and following the search, he actively evaded law enforcement. Before and after this search, McDowell used his Instagram account to advertise controlled substances and arrange drug sales. McDowell also continued to possess firearms and distribute a variety of narcotics, including fentanyl, in the months following the February 2023 search.
On July 12, 2023, agents executed another search warrant at McDowell’s residence and recovered a stolen loaded Glock handgun. Law enforcement also seized fentanyl, PCP, marijuana, and a digital scale from McDowell’s bedroom.
McDowell was indicted on federal firearms and narcotics charges on July 25, 2023, and charged with additional counts in a superseding indictment on September 7, 2023. McDowell ultimately pleaded guilty to trafficking fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Washington Field Division with assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department, United States Secret Service, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Violent Crime Initiative (VCI) Trial Attorney Ethan Cantor and the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was also provided by former Special Assistant United States Attorneys Gary Crosby, Javier Urbina, Christopher Marin, and Robert Sainvil.
23cr248
Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
Former Inkster Mayor Pleads Guilty to Agreeing to Accept $100,000 in BribesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – The former Mayor of the City of Inkster pleaded guilty to bribery, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced today.
Ison was joined in the announcement by Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Patrick Wimberly, 50, of Inkster, served as the Mayor of the City of Inkster, Michigan, from 2019 through 2023. In the spring of 2022, Wimberly demanded $100,000 in cash payments to facilitate the sale of property owned by the City to an outside party (referred to as “Person A”). Over several months, Person A provided Wimberly with monthly cash bribes to secure the purchase of this property. The monthly payments started at $5,000 but the parties agreed to eventually increase that amount. After the initial bribes, Wimberly explained that he was ready to increase the payments. Person A agreed. But when Person A later did not provide the amount Wimberly expected, Wimberly complained that he was due “10$ a month.” Person A then increased the monthly payments to $10,000. In total, Person A provided $50,000 in cash to Wimberly for the purpose of winning the bid for subject property. The Federal Bureau of Investigation intervened before the property could be transferred to Person A.
The bribery charge, a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 666, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of $250,000.
“Public officials who act in their own best interests, motivated by greed, betray the trust of their communities and the general public,” United States Attorney Ison said. “ We will continue to aggressively prosecute corrupt public officials for their illegal actions.”
“Investigating public corruption is a primary concern and priority of the FBI in Michigan,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. The former City of Inkster mayor, Patrick Wimberly’s guilty plea is a step forward in reminding public officials that they will be held accountable for their actions and should always operate with the highest level of integrity. Members of the FBI’s Detroit Area Corruption Task Force will continue to investigate any allegations of criminal misconduct from our public officials, in an effort to maintain the public’s trust.”
The investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eaton P. Brown.
El Departamento de Justicia llega a un acuerdo con la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Alameda, en California, sobre el acceso lingüísticoRead the Press Release
El Departamento de Justicia anunció hoy que ha llegado a un acuerdo de resolución con la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Alameda (ACSO, por sus siglas en inglés) en California para resolver una investigación sobre si la ACSO está cumpliendo con sus obligaciones antidiscriminatorias en virtud del Título VI de la Ley de Derechos Civiles de 1964 (Título VI).
Según los términos del acuerdo, KCSO ha acordado tomar una serie de medidas para mejorar el acceso lingüístico para las personas con un dominio limitado del inglés (LEP) en su jurisdicción. El Título VI prohíbe la discriminación por motivos de raza, color de piel y origen nacional por parte de entidades que reciben apoyo financiero federal. El tratamiento diferencial basado en el idioma que uno habla, incluida la exclusión o denegación a personas LEP de los beneficios de programas y servicios, puede constituir discriminación por motivos de origen nacional, lo que contraviene el Título VI.
«La División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia se compromete a garantizar que las agencias de aplicación de la ley de nuestra nación puedan servir y proteger a todos en sus comunidades, independientemente de su dominio del inglés», afirmó Kristen Clarke, la Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. «A través de este acuerdo, la Oficina del Sheriff del Condado de Alameda ha demostrado su compromiso con las comunidades a las que presta servicios y ha dado pasos importantes para mejorar dichos servicios».
La indagación del departamento en cuanto a la ACSO comenzó después de recibir información que planteaba inquietudes sobre la posibilidad de que las personas LEP no están recibiendo servicios lingüísticos adecuados durante encuentros con el personal de la ACSO.
A través de este acuerdo, la ACSO establecerá una directiva formal de acceso lingüístico en toda la oficina, designará a un miembro de su personal como coordinador LEP para la ACSO, proporcionará formación al personal sobre el apoyo lingüístico, mejorará los controles de calidad para requerir servicios de apoyo lingüístico precisos y evaluados por la calidad y someterse a un periodo de supervisión departamental.
Este acuerdo forma parte de la Iniciativa de Acceso Lingüístico en las Fuerzas del Orden Público (LELAI), un esfuerzo nacional para ayudar a las agencias de aplicación de la ley a superar las barreras lingüísticas para servir y proteger mejor a las comunidades y mantener a los oficiales seguros. Dirigida por la División de Derechos Civiles en asociación con las Fiscalías Federales, la iniciativa proporciona herramientas y recursos de asistencia técnica que pueden ayudar a las fuerzas del orden público estatales y locales a proporcionar un acceso lingüístico significativo a las personas LEP, trabaja afirmativamente con las agencias de aplicación de la ley que desean revisar, actualizar o fortalecer sus políticas, planes y capacitación de acceso lingüístico y fortalece la conexión entre las agencias de aplicación de la ley y las partes interesadas de la comunidad LEP y las poblaciones LEP.
Puede encontrar información adicional sobre la División de Derechos Civiles en www.justice.gov/crt e información sobre el dominio limitado del inglés y el Título VI está disponible en www.lep.gov. Encontrará más información sobre LELAI en www.lep.gov/law-enforcement. Los miembros del público pueden denunciar posibles infracciones de los derechos civiles en civilrights.justice.gov/report/.
Dracut Brothers Agree to Plead Guilty to Fraud Scheme Involving Online Sales of CosmeticsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have been charged with, and have agreed to plead guilty to, carrying out a scheme to obtain products of an online cosmetics company through fraud and to resell those products on Amazon and eBay for a profit.
Brothers Nick Ashtar-Zadeh, 22, and Nika Ashtar-Zadeh, 23, of Dracut, have agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud each. Plea hearings have not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, between 2020 and 2021, Nick Ashtar-Zadeh and Nika Ashtar-Zadeh operated Amazon and eBay “stores” that offered various products for sale, including the products of a cosmetics company in Texas. It is alleged that the Ashtar-Zadehs offered the company’s products on these platforms to buyers for one-time payments that were typically equal to or below the company’s list prices for the same products. The Ashtar-Zadehs then enrolled these Amazon and eBay buyers in the company’s 30-day trial program for the same products. The brothers allegedly entered the buyers’ information on the company’s website, without the customers’ knowledge or consent, and caused the company to ship its products to those buyers for a trial period. It is alleged that, for these orders, the Ashtar-Zadehs presented the company with forms of payment that fulfilled initial charges of $19.95 but were declined when the company attempted to charge later installments, after buyers had kept the products past 30 days. The brothers sold the company’s products in this manner to hundreds of buyers on Amazon and eBay, each time pocketing the difference between what the buyers paid them and the initial $19.95 upfront payment to the company. As a result of the alleged conduct, the Ashtar-Zadehs cost the company hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Department of Justice and Mason County Jail reach settlement over ADA compliance in treatment of Opioid use DisorderRead the Press Release
Seattle – The U.S. Department of Justice and the Mason County Jail reached a settlement this month of allegations the jail violated the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) by refusing to provide inmates with medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), announced U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman. Under the terms of the settlement, medical providers at the jail will prescribe and provide all three medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat OUD, including methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine.
“Substance use disorder is a disabling condition under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and public service providers such as jails and prisons must treat it as such – providing the medical care and prescriptions needed to treat the disorder,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman. “We hope this change in practice at the Mason County Jail means those serving time will emerge from incarceration in a better state to continue a path to recovery.”
According to the settlement agreement, the practices at the Mason County Jail first came to the attention of the Civil Rights Unit at the U.S. Attorney’s Office when an inmate complained that they were unable to continue the OUD medication that had been prescribed at a different correctional facility.
An investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed the jail violated the ADA by discontinuing the use of OUD medications for non-medical reasons. The jail also had no way to prescribe methadone to inmates who medically qualified for it. The jail required inmates currently receiving methadone treatment to go through withdrawal and transition to an alternative medication.
The Mason County Jail entered into this settlement, while not admitting it violated the ADA.
Under the terms of the settlement, the jail will provide a draft healthcare policy to the U.S. Attorney’s office that ensures all inmates are evaluated for OUD at intake. The jail agrees not to change or discontinue an inmate’s treatment without the determination by a qualified medical professional that the treatment is no longer medically appropriate. The jail agrees not to withhold health services or use rewards or punishments to encourage or discourage a particular treatment for OUD.
Additionally, the jail will train staff on the ADA and will keep a log of all medication discontinuations and denials. The jail will provide the U.S. Attorney’s Office with any complaints it receives regarding compliance with the ADA.
The jail will have 14 days to respond to any complaints or the U.S. Attorney’s Office can go to court to enforce the agreement.
The agreement and monitoring will last for one year.
The settlement was negotiated by Susan Kas, Civil Rights Coordinator in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Del Rio Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Coercing MinorRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, Alejandro Zavala, 31, initiated contact with a 15-year-old on Snapchat. The two regularly communicated, holding conversations that were often sexual in nature. On two occasions, Zavala engaged in sexual acts with the child. The child was reported missing during one of the occasions, prompting investigators with the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office to locate and interview the child victim.
Zavala was arrested by federal authorities Oct. 29, 2021. He pleaded guilty Sept. 26, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
###
DC Accountant Charged with Mortgage Fraud and Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., returned an indictment yesterday, which was unsealed today, charging a CPA with not filing income tax returns, bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, Timothy Trifilo, of Washington, D.C., was a partner or managing director at several large accounting and finance firms and worked in tax compliance. Nevertheless, Trifilo allegedly did not file federal income tax returns for himself for nearly a decade despite earning more than $7.7 million during that time.
In February 2023, Trifilo allegedly sought to obtain a $1.36 million bank-financed loan to purchase a home in D.C. and was working with a mortgage company to do so. After the mortgage company allegedly told Trifilo that the bank would not approve the loan without copies of Trifilo’s filed tax returns, Trifilo allegedly provided the mortgage company with fabricated documents to make it appear as if he had filed tax returns and provided copies of tax returns for 2020 and 2021 that Trifilo never filed with the IRS. On these returns and other documents that he submitted to the mortgage company, Trifilo allegedly listed a former colleague as the individual who prepared the returns and uploaded them for filing with the IRS. This individual allegedly did not prepare the returns, has never prepared tax returns for Trifilo and did not authorize Trifilo to use his name on the returns and other documents that Trifilo submitted to the mortgage company. Based on Trifilo’s false representation, the bank allegedly approved the loan and Trifilo purchased the home.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of two years in prison on the identity theft charge, a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on the bank fraud charge, and a maximum sentence of one year in prison on each count of failure to file tax returns. Trifilo also faces a period of supervised release, monetary penalties and restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Melissa S. Siskind and Alexandra K. Fleszar of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Murderer Pleads Guilty in Crescent City Drug Distribution RingRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Francisco Javier Arroyo (31, Crescent City) today pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Arroyo faces a minimum mandatory of 5 years, up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to court documents, between February and July 2021, Arroyo worked to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine along with a number of conspirators – including Alejandro Alvarado (30, Crescent City), Miguel Angel Perez (29, Deland), and Jose Martinez (43, Crescent City), Jonathan Arroyo Ontiveros (25, Crescent City), Noel Bueno Jr. (27, Crescent City), and others – all of whom lived in close proximity to one another in Crescent City. Miguel Angel Ortiz (29, Crescent City) also served as a courier to deliver multi-kilogram shipments of methamphetamine from Texas, North Carolina, and Georgia to the Crescent City neighborhood in which Arroyo and others operated. Arroyo delivered ounces of methamphetamine and cocaine primarily to Robert Wayne Watson (59, Seville), who operated out of his home in Seville. Watson, in turn, redistributed ounces of methamphetamine to mid-level dealers located throughout central Florida, including George Edward Sykes (46, Bunnell), Danny Wayne Holmes (61, Kathleen), Dina Dynnette Kempher (38, Satsuma), and David John Doerr (56, Astor). During the course of the investigation, the FBI monitored these conspirators as they arranged to obtain and distribute kilograms, pounds, and ounces of cocaine and methamphetamine. To date, 12 individuals have pleaded guilty and were sentenced to federal prison terms in connection with this conspiracy.
On July 16, 2021, the FBI arrested multiple individuals in Crescent City and Seville. One day earlier, Arroyo was arrested in Missouri for a homicide that he had committed on July 13, 2021. Arroyo was later convicted of second-degree murder, along with two counts of attempted second degree murder, for the events occurring on July 13, 2021. After that conviction, Arroyo was transported to federal court to face charges for drug distribution occurring during that same time.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the DEA, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for the Second Time in One Year After Failing to Appear in Court While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Salt Lake City, Utah – Thomas Fairbanks, 71, of Cache County, Utah, was sentenced today to an additional 30 days’ imprisonment for failure to appear in court for a sentencing hearing in a securities fraud case. The one month sentence will be served consecutively to his 27 months’ securities fraud sentence, which was imposed in April 2024.
According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, on May 24, 2023, Fairbanks failed to appear in front of U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parrish for his sentencing in a 2019 securities fraud case, after he was convicted by a jury on August 30, 2022. After his failure to appear, a warrant was issued for his arrest, and he was later arrested in February 2024. According to court documents in the 2019 case, the defendant was convicted of a securities fraud scheme in connection with his fraudulent company SupplyLine Partners. As part of the scheme, Fairbanks created a pitch deck to advertise the entity, ran seminars to find investors, and ultimately convinced at least two individuals to invest with him in his fake entity. SupplyLine was never a registered company nor was Fairbanks authorized to sell securities.
Fairbanks took victims’ money and did not invest as he said he would, never returned the money and did not pay out the promised 6% interest. In total, Fairbanks defrauded two victims out of $270,232.
The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ruth Hackford-Peer and Kevin Sundwall of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brennen Holloman, 26, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to a federal firearms offense stemming from his possession of a loaded “ghost gun” in October 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves; ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge James VanVliet of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Holloman pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. The Honorable Christopher R. Cooper scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 28, 2025.
According to court papers, on October 11, 2023, uniformed MPD officers patrolling the 1500 block of Maryland Ave., Northeast, encountered a group of men that included Holloman. In response to the officers’ presence, Holloman began jumping up and down and manipulating his pants. Because it appeared that Holloman was attempting to conceal a firearm, officers stopped him and conducted a limited pat down. A loaded 9mm black and grey Polymer80 privately made firearm (i.e., a “ghost gun”) was recovered from inside Holloman’s pants. The firearm was loaded with one round of 9mm ammunition in its chamber and 17 rounds in its extended magazine.
Federal law prohibits Holloman from possessing a firearm because he has previously been convicted of crimes punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, including a 2019 conviction for grand larceny in the Fairfax, Virginia, Circuit Court; a 2018 conviction for attempted robbery in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; and a 2017 conviction for conspiracy to commit robbery in the Alexandria, Virginia, Circuit Court.
In November 2023, a federal grand jury empaneled by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia returned an indictment charging Holloman with the October offense. On December 15, 2023, MPD officers arrested Holloman on the federal charges and discovered that he was in possession of another loaded firearm.
Holloman has remained held without bond since his December 15, 2023, arrest.
Holloman faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by the Court after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by ATF and MPD as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI Laboratory in Quantico, Virginia.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney.
23cr407
###
Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube
Combined Federal and State Investigation Leads to Arrests in Large-Scale Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOISE – A large-scale Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation has resulted in the federal indictments of ten Magic Valley defendants on drug trafficking charges, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. An additional ten defendants have been charged in Idaho state courts for their actions connected to the conspiracy.
“This investigation is the result of outstanding partnerships and teamwork between local law enforcement in the Magic Valley, the Idaho State Police, and the DEA,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “I am grateful for the trust they have placed in my office to work hand-in-hand with them to keep their communities safe.”
According to the indictments, the defendants possessed and distributed large quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Magic Valley area. During these investigations and arrests, federal and state law enforcement officers seized over 30 pounds of methamphetamine. According to court records, it is alleged that several of these individuals traveled to Arizona and California to obtain methamphetamine that they brought back to Idaho for distribution.
As part of this OCDETF investigation, the following individuals have been charged with federal drug violations:
- Oscar Alejandro Perez-Gomez, 32, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, five counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Patrick Delacruz, 40, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Leonardo Espinoza-Romero, 31, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine;
- Daniel D. Thomas, 47, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine;
- Artemio Morgan Hurtado, Jr., 34, of Shoshone, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and the use of a communication facility to commit or facilitate a felony;
- Luis Enrique Gonzalez, 40, of Jerome, was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Jesus Arturo Torres-Herrera, 36, of Twin Falls, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Raquel May, 28, of Twin Falls was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine;
- Robert Troglia, 52, of Jerome, was indicted on one count of distribution of methamphetamine;
- Liliana Morales-Caliz, 34, of Jerome, was indicted for four counts of distribution of methamphetamine;
The investigation also included ten other defendants who were charged in state prosecutions for possession of controlled substances, trafficking in methamphetamine, and other crimes.
Federal drug distribution charges carry mandatory minimum prison sentences depending on the amount and type of drugs distributed. Maximum prison sentences range from up to 20 years to life in federal prison.
“DEA stands with our partners in the Idaho State Police and law enforcement around the state to stop criminals and hold them accountable,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The Magic Valley is safer today because of our cooperative efforts.”
“We are proud the State of Idaho works so well with our federal partners to protect the public,” said Governor Brad Little. “The goal of our Operation Esto Perpetua initiative is to equip law enforcement with the training and tools they need to keep Idaho safe. Today’s announcement about the federal indictment of drug traffickers demonstrates what Idaho is doing is working.”
“The successful investigation and prosecution of this case was the result of relentless dedication, collaboration, and teamwork,” said Colonel Bill Gardiner, Director of ISP. “By working with numerous local jurisdictions and federal agencies, resources were leveraged, intelligence was shared, and criminals were brought to justice. These unified efforts are crucial to ongoing efforts to keep communities safe from the devastating impacts of drug trafficking and should give residents a sense of security and protection.”
The cases were primarily investigated by the Idaho State Police and Drug Enforcement Administration. In addition to the work of these agencies, U.S. Attorney Hurwit thanked the following agencies for assisting in the investigations and arrests of the above-named individuals: Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls Police Department, Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Jerome Police Department, Jerome County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Cassia County Sheriff’s Office, Cassia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Minidoka County Sheriff’s Office, Minidoka County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, and the Blaine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Booker and Francis Zebari are prosecuting these cases.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit expressed his gratitude to all the law enforcement agencies and prosecutors for their hard work and the strong teamwork that is achieving justice.
An indictment is merely an allegation or a set of allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
These indictments are part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
###
Citizen of El Salvador Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
Vanessa Roberts Avery, announced that FREDY ADALBERTO GUARDADO SALGADO, also known as “Fredy Guardado” and “Fredy Salgado,” 43, a citizen of El Salvador, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 15 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Guardado was deported from the U.S. to El Salvador following a felony conviction in December 2010 in Connecticut Superior Court for assault in the second degree involving a stabbing. He illegally reentered the U.S. and, on August 6, 2023, was arrested by Hamden Police on state assault and breach of peace charges for allegedly using a wooden bat to hit multiple victims in the head.
On June 28, 2024, Guardado pleaded guilty to illegal reentry. The state charges against him are pending in Meriden Superior Court. Guardado is detained in federal custody.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George.
Champaign, Illinois, Woman Sentenced to 324 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Champaign, Illinois, woman, Malaia A. Turner, 36, was sentenced on September 23, 2024, to 324 months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Turner was a leader in a conspiracy responsible for obtaining large quantities of ice methamphetamine and other drugs from suppliers in California, Texas, and Illinois and transporting those drugs to the Central District of Illinois. After hearing that evidence, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce concluded Turner was a leader of the conspiracy and faced heightened penalties due to her leadership role.
Turner was convicted following a four-day jury trial in May 2024. She has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since her arrest in August 2022.
At sentencing, Turner faced statutory penalties of ten years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment, a fine not to exceed $10 million, and not less than a five-year term of supervised release upon her release from custody.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Illinois State Police East Central Illinois Task Force; and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel E. Ritzer and Timothy J. Sullivan represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor- led, intelligence driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
California Woman Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Antioch, California, woman convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Jennifer Walsh, age 44, was sentenced on September 23, 2024, to eight years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Walsh was indicted by a federal grand jury in the March of 2023. She pleaded guilty on June 24, 2024.
On November 24, 2022, Walsh and her co-defendant Andrea Pitts were pulled over due to speeding on I-90 in Chamberlain, South Dakota. During the course of the traffic stop, a K-9 drug detection dog was called and alerted to the presence of drugs. A search of the vehicle revealed five pounds of methamphetamine in a hidden compartment. Walsh and Pitts were transporting the drugs from California to South Dakota where the methamphetamine would be distributed.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Walsh was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following her sentencing. Pitts is scheduled to be sentenced on October 8, 2024.